Sarinas and Elegance aren't dead.

"...oh my word..."

Elegance peeked the slightly open door of the basement to see the chaos and panic outside. The bugs had managed to invade the castle itself, seemingly sending the ponies inside into frantic scattering. The scene was almost too much to bear.

Elegance was saddened. She thought that maybe, maybe the castle was a safe haven. That even in this time of crisis, the Princess was able to keep the ponies of Canterlot safe. That a stronghold had been made in the main chamber, and even now the royal guard and the elements of harmony were fighting back to reclaim the city.

Apparently not. It seemed that Canterlot, the city that sprung from the mind of Design the Ambitious, the first Design ever, the city that the countless generations of the family had expanded, improved upon, and made grand, was going to fall.

Was there anything she could have done?

She wondered if the bugs would make the city their own, if the city would still stand after the invasion. But seeing the bugs, and their destructive mindset, it was clear that if they were going to leave anything standing, it wouldn't be the Canterlot she knew. The very thought made her eyes water.

Sarinas followed Elegance and just frowned as it appeared things were just as bad of circumstances. She frowned as it appeared the castle was no safer of a place than the library. Everything she had been hoping to find upon her arrival back in the castle was completely bunked.

"Do yah know the castle well?" Sarinas asked Elegance as any confidence that she had remaining was beginning to wain, "I can only hope that the Princess is safe-- my family is at the wedding as well..." she said with a very concerned tone coming over her.

Elegance wiped away her tears, leaving behind a furious glare. "Damn the Princess. She raises the damned sun, and can't bother with getting rid of a few insects," she hissed, "Damn the groom, damn the bride, damn the wedding, damn everything! If it was going to leave Canterlot helpless, then the entire affair should have been scrapped." She sniffed. "I trudged through a sewer, and this is what greets me. Pathetic. I expected far better."

Checking to see if it was clear, she entered into the hallway. "Well, what now?"

Sarinas looked in surprise at Elegance's outburst. She did not care for the events itself-- but the groom was the captain of the guard-- the princess was one of the protectors of their kingdom-- how could she so quickly dismiss them like that?

"The princess and groom are likely two of the people who have ANY hope to save Canterlot," Sarinas said, raising her voice to Elegance, "Not to mention that the Elements of Harmony and a good amount of the Royal Guard are also at the wedding-- that's the most logical place for us to try to gather." she explained.

"They should have dealt with it by now, or else prevented it fom happening in the first place!" Elegance scowled, "They were given the job to look after the city for a reason! Because, yes, they are supposed to be the ones most capable of doing it! Am I to believe that raising the sun is easier than dealing with an army of insects!?"

Elegance stopped. The hissing of the bugs could be heard. She tensed, trying to think of what to do.

Sarinas growled and turned to Elegance, "Than yah mines well and climb back into the sewer!" she said irritated at Elegance, "because we can not beat them-- our hope lies in those yah dismiss, and if yah think they have failed, than yah mines well and go hide somewhere." she said stomping her hoof.

"I am going to find the princess, elements, and my father" she said in a serious tone, "If yah want to come with me, I could use yah to help me find my way around, but if yah want to go hide somewhere and pray that something other than our best hopes will save the day, than I will not stop yah..." Sarinas said as she began walking down the hallway towards the hissing noises of the bugs, and their only way forward.

"Just because Celestia has chosen to be negligent, does not mean I shall give up," Elegance said coldly, "That would be hypocrisy."

She turned to face the two insect things rounding the corner, and noticing the two of them.

"When the ones with the responsibility fail...then the ones who can do something become the ones that should do something. I will not stand idly by."

Staring at her foe with determination, she strode towards them with fire in her eyes.

Sarinas watched Elegance as she continued to speak ill of the princess. She stepped along side her as she stared down the two enemies.

(What to do when you've run out of ideas? Probably not this.)

As Sarinas strode beside Elegance, the two in front of them were joined by more changelings, and others started approaching from the back. Then they started changing, not into the pair like last time, but into other ponies, ponies ranging from those they never saw before to ponies they knew dearly. Elegance growled...


For a split second, the false ponies looked confused, looking at each other for answers. Then, as one, they charged.

Sarinas turned to see the creatures coming up behind her. They were outnumbered far worse than before and they barely there able to stop the last group. Her injured ribs would keep her from being able to do attack as ferociously as she did last time.

This day has been just horrid,
The kind of day I feared since I was a foal,
I thought everyone I could save,
But soon I feel I may be in the grave,
Everything is spiraling out of control!


"My friend, it has been an honor fighting along side of yah..." Sarinas said nervously, "we must do what we can..." she took a deep breath and prepared herself as the creatures charged.

"Cannot begin to- Ah! -give in, stakes are too high to just stand by, though the help we need has gone and run away..."

Amazing Grace had a surprisingly strong right hook, Elegance though to herself, as she shoved her shadow back, with both hooves. If she ever saw her again, she would make sure not to annoy the seemingly fragile lady.

"And for so many years, built on our sweat and tears, as a Design for Canterlot I'll stay...!"

She slammed her hoof right between the eyes of the colt who served her tea.

"For this place is dear to me, I pledged my soul to this city, and they shall not take away what's MI-"

Something slammed into the back of her head. Sight woozy, Elegance turned around to see a huge zebra raise his hoof again to strike her.

Regardless of my injured state, I refuse to accept this fate, these creatures will not win this day!

Sarinas focused on all the negative energy she could, trying to fuel herself with anger. She screamed as tears began to come down her face as she kicked another creature that came at her.

while I do not know what we face, I must remove them from this place, together we may solve this foul play!

She did not know many of the ponies in Canterlot, so she did not have as much of a reservation fighting against them, knowing they they're creatures trying to destroy her new home.

While I worry my family may be in danger, I refuse to lose them to these strangers, if we can just make it to my--

"Father!" Sarinas yelled in shock as a creature appearing as her father approached Elegance. She stared in fear, her feet trembling. She had never been able to stand up to her father. He was an extremely large Zebra with military experience-- these creatures had taken his form-- which she assumed meant they had crossed paths and now it was here...

Sarinas began to shake in fear as the large Zebra moved in on the small unicorn, "NO!!!" Sarinas screamed as she charged the large zebra, tears streaming from her eyes. She tackled it, feeling pain shoot from her body as she made contact, especially from her already injured ribs. Both zebras crashed to the ground, one changing back into the insect-ish creature.

Pchyuun. Pchyuun.

Some of the insects had reformed into their true state and had cast some kind of sticky glue, trapping Elegance to the floor. Soon, she could hardly move, except for her head which she turned to her fallen ally. What was it she had said just before they charged?

"I believe that we have reached the end... I'm sorry for failing you...friend."

She didn't even know the zebra's name, but now it was far too late. They had failed, just like everypony else. All the hate inside her had finally burned away to leave the eclipsing coldness of despair. She looked around and saw, one by one, the copies of ponies morph back into their true insect forms.

She weakly struggled against the glue, but all it achieved was garnering hissing laughter from the hated foe.

Sarinas raised her head weakly looking up at the creatures turning back to their normal forms... they had lost this battle...

Sarias felt a sudden surge of pain from her chest as she let out a painful cough, blood coming from her mouth.

She dropped her head back to the ground, her body completely used up. This was the end...

If you asked Elegance whether she believed in miracles, she would scoff and say that miracle was a word used by somepony ignorant of the circumstances. So when a pink aura suddenly blasted down the hallway, expelling all the insects and the glue holding her in one fell swoop, she felt pretty ignorant of the circumstances.

Lying on the floor, blinking rapidly in confusion, she remembered the fallen zebra. "Hey, are you al..."

Her eyes widened as they focused on the blood dripping from Sarinas' mouth. Then she started to scream for help.

A moment passed with Elegance next to Sarinas. Sarinas was breathing but was clearly in bad shape. A couple more minutes passed and hoofsteps began to echo through the halls. There was a hesitation of the steps and then they heard Elegance's cry for help and they rushed into the room where the two ponies were.

"We've got two more!" one of the royal guards called.

"It's the Ambassador's daughter and the Design filly" another one said, looking the two mares over, "we need medical attention!"

(if you want we you can do your next post in a hospital wing with Sarinas about to wake up)

A bit later...

Apart from a few cuts and bruises that stung like crazy when she had a thorough bath, Elegance was physically fine. However, she didn't exactly feel like joining the festivities. It was as if everypony forgot that only a few hours before, Canterlot was mere millimetres from falling into Changeling hooves. Partying whilst Sarinas was in hospital felt...wrong.

So here she was, in the zebra's room, reading calmly. The construction of the Midnight Temple would have to wait whilst the various buildings and streets were repaired. Even now, the damage reports would be written up to determine the exact extent of the disaster. Elegance hoped nothing would collapse on unsuspecting partying ponies.

It also seemed that, despite Elegance's suspicions, Celestia did not abandon Canterlot to its fall, and in the end it was the bride and groom that repelled the invasion. So there was that, she guessed. Oh, she was thankful for the entire 'saving Canterlot from certain destruction', but she still stood by what she said. Things should not have gotten to the point of ruined buildings and hurt ponies. But it didn't matter, did it? All of this would soon be forgotten, and ponies would only remember the beauty of the bride, the glamour of the wedding, the joy of the celebration.

They'll forget the other reason to celebrate. Such was ponykind.

Elegance hummed to herself as she flipped a page.

Sarinas family had been present in the hospital wing for a little while, but as the wedding resumed, they returned to it believing Sarinas to be in good hands and feeling presenting themselves at such an event was also important.

Sarinas groaned as she awoke finally. Her chest was wrapped in bindings to help her injured ribs. She opened her eyes and looked about blurrily infront of her, trying to place what was going on and where she was.

"Did we win...?" she asked weakly.

"Canterlot still stands, the foe has been repelled, the wedding party is going at full speed and you are still in the land of the living," Elegance replied, closing her book, "That's sounds like a win to me."

"Your family was here before, I think, but by the time I got here, they've gone off to represent the Zebra nations at the party. They're all okay, from what I've heard, but I'm rather relieved that I didn't have to explain myself to them."

"How are you feeling?"

Sarinas looked weakly at Elegance, still processing everything she was just told. "I am... hurting..." she said weakly.

Sarinas looked back at her bandaged body, "has a doctor said how bad I am...?" she asked anxiously.

"You'll live," Elegance said simply, "That is what they said. They don't recommend taking on invading armies in at least a month or two, but you'll recover in time. Especially since you have a strong constitution."

She then looked up at the roof. "And they plan to let you clean yourself as soon as possible, they need clean you up a bit whilst you were unconscious but you still smell a little."

Sarinas nodded lightly, "I am very thankful yah stayed with me, uh--" Sarinas paused for a second, there appears to be a problem with her memory-- as she was forgetting a very important fact, "uh-- what-- was your name again?" Sarinas asked embarrassed.

For the first time in a long time, Elegance smiled. Not a smirk, not a sneer, a genuine smile. "Elegance. Elegance of the Design Family. Pleasure to make your acquaintance, uh..." She glanced at the name at the end of the bed, "Sarinas."

Sarinas looked a little surprised when Elegance seemed to know her name, only realizing afterwards that her name might be on a chart at the end of the bed.

Sarinas moved to get out of bed, wincing a little bit as she did so. After a moment of struggling, she stood weakly next to the bed.

Elegance was a bit surprised when Sarinas stood up. "Not quite sure if you should do that." She glanced out the window, lights from the celebration were flashing. Apparently, there were going to be fireworks.

"I suppose I owe you an apology. In the end, it was both the bride and groom that saved us all. I spoke...prematurely, regarding them." Elegance said this with some difficulty. "You were, in the end, correct."